Richmond coach Damien Hardwick says this weekend's preliminary final against Greater Western Sydney is no different to round one, but try telling that to the thousands of fans who converged on Punt Road Oval for a simple training session.

Bill Meaklim will never forget what it was like when Richmond broke their 24-year premiership drought in 1967 — but this year, after another long dry spell, the excitement has been "multiplied by many hundreds", he says.

Federal Greens MP Adam Bandt offers to step in and personally conduct citizenship ceremonies in the City of Yarra after the Prime Minister stripped the Greens-dominated council of its powers yesterday.

In the cafes of Brunswick Street — "hipster central" in Melbourne's inner north — local residents were largely in favour of the controversial move by the City of Yarra to stop referring to January 26 as Australia Day.